


Deus ex machina, or The Rings

by Xenobotanist



Series: Garashir Garashorts [4]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: 85 percent Garashir, Accidental Marriage, Drunken Shenanigans, M/M, chocolate-covered fluff sprinkled with salted caramel and a dusting of angst, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27862549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobotanist/pseuds/Xenobotanist
Summary: Julian and Ezri wake up in Vic Fontaine's living room, both wearing a ring, but they can't remember what happened the night before. They're both in for a surprise.
Relationships: Ezri Dax/Kira Nerys, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak, Julian Bashir/Ezri Dax
Series: Garashir Garashorts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896124
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Deus ex machina, or The Rings

**Author's Note:**

> I started this MONTHS ago, and finished it today, because I needed something to cheer myself up while I wait for my appointment to get tested for Covid. Blech. At least that's one less incomplete tale staring at me from my Google Drive.  
> This started out a joke and just... got... SO cute and sweet, and even though I wrote it, it makes me squee.

As Julian slowly fought his way into consciousness, three separate sensations caught his attention: the beginning of a hangover, a head on his chest, and an unfamiliar tightness around a finger on his left hand.

He opened his eyes. As expected, short, dark hair greeted him. Ezri. She seemed to be waking as well. She sat up, stretching and looking around. “Wow, we must have been really wasted last night; we’re still at Vic’s.”

Julian sat up too. They were on a couch in the lounge-singer’s apartment. He rubbed at his eyes, trying to stall off the headache that was rising. The feel of cool metal against his face made him pull his hands away. 

He was wearing a ring. A deep blue ring with a silver band in the center.

Ezri’s eyes widened, and she held up her own hands. She was wearing a ring, too. A red one, with ornate orange flowers engraved around it.

Their gazes met in shock.

“Um, Ezri, did we get married last night?” Julian wasn’t sure what to think. He _did_ care for the Trill. Deeply. But marriage?

“I… I don’t know,” she answered. “Maybe?”

“I guess we really were drunk, huh?” Julian took her hand, studying the contrast of pale skin against scarlet stone. “So drunk we didn’t even get matching rings.” When she frowned, he hurried up to add, “Not that we would have to. Yours is quite pretty. It suits you.”

She reached for his, turning it around his finger. “Yours is nice, too,” she said quietly. She gave him a small smile.

There was a thump and curse from the other room. Surprised, they both turned in that direction. Another muffled curse. A yelp, and… was that a hiss? Two hushed but angry voices started arguing.

Julian and Ezri looked at each other, confounded. Who else was there? Had Vic brought someone home with him?

“Maybe we should skedaddle,” Ezri suggested. “Give them some… space.”

Just then, the bedroom door opened, and it was _not_ Vic who stalked out. It was Major Kira.

Ezri’s jaw dropped. 

Kira froze.

Garak stepped out behind her.

For a full minute, the four of them stared.

Julian recovered first. “Ah... good morning, Nerys. And, um, Garak?”

“Hi!” Ezri squeaked, waving lamely.

Kira and Garak glanced guiltily at one another, then away. 

“Good morning, Doctor. Ms. Dax.” Garak bowed slightly, one hand behind his back. But when he straightened, the hand remained.

Julian noticed that Kira also had her hand hidden. 

He thought about it.

No.

But… “Um, is everything okay, you two?”

“Everything’s fine!” They both said loudly at the same time.

Julian pulled Ezri off the couch with him. As they approached, Garak and Kira sidled out of the hallway and into the living room, avoiding the couple approaching while trying to head for the door.

“Nerys, what are you hiding there?” Ezri asked curiously. 

The Bajoran froze. “What? Nothing.”

“Gaaarak.” Julian raised his eyebrows at the tailor.

“Doctor, this is one of those times that it would be in your best interest to mind your own business,” the tailor said icily.

Undeterred, Julian grinned at Ezri, and she lifted her eyebrows back. The two of them raised their hands, showing off the rings.

Garak and Kira looked stunned. They glanced at each other, then held their own hands out.

Garak was wearing a blue and silver band.

Kira was wearing a red one with orange designs.

Ezri grabbed the Major’s hand in both of hers to study the ring intently. “Oh thank god,” she breathed out, then whipped her head around to stare wide-eyed at Julian. “Oh god I’m sorry,” she said apologetically. “I didn’t mean it like that, I swear. It’s just…” She turned back to the Bajoran. “Nerys and I have always been such good friends, and now that Worf is out of the picture, we’ve been spending so much more time together…” Her voice grew soft, her face yearning.

Julian knew that he ought to feel offended, or at least sad, but he couldn’t help studying his own fingers and the item wrapped around one. He looked up at Garak tentatively. “Um, Garak, do you know what these are? What they mean?”

“I’ve seen enough Humans wearing them to ascertain the meaning, yes,” the Cardassian replied guardedly. 

Kira and Dax gave each other a look and headed for the door. They joined arms and whispered excitedly to each other as they left.

“I’m so sorry Garak,” Julian gushed out. “This probably isn’t what you wanted at all and I don’t know how it happened or if it’s legally binding, but I’ll look into it right away, I promise.”

The tailor nodded politely. “If you feel that is the proper course of action, I’ll do everything at my disposal to help you.”

Julian’s whirling mind came to a halt. “If I feel…? I meant I’d do it for you, Garak. We’ve been seeing each other for years now and you’ve never made a move, so I assumed that meant you weren’t interested?”

Garak assessed him speculatively. “It hardly matters how I feel, my dear. I would never wish to chain you to a Cardassian exile when you’ve got such a bright future ahead of you. Assuming we make it through the war, of course.”

Julian shifted back and forth on his feet. “How _do_ you feel? About this, about us?”

Garak blinked. The mask on his face was bland and conversational, but his eyes were even more shuttered than normal, if possible. 

Julian hadn’t always had an easy time reading other people, but he’d known the tailor for almost seven years now. His friend was deeply affected. “Come to the sofa with me?”

They both seated themselves some distance apart, but partially facing one another. Garak refused to look straight at him. “Doctor…”

“Please, call me Julian. We’ve known each other for so long now.” 

Avoiding his eyes, Garak spoke to the ledgers strewn about the coffee table. “I belong to Cardassia. My mind, my body, every action is dedicated to the Union. But I fear my heart has been yours for quite some time.”

A joyous surge flashed through Julian. “Garak, really? I had just about given up on you.”

Garak looked at him in consternation. “Just about? You mean you haven’t yet?”

This time it was the doctor who looked away. “Well, no. I guess I just kept on holding out hope that maybe something small would change, that something would push us together. I guess we’re both alike in that way. You never gave up on Cardassia, I never gave up on you.”

“Julian…” Garak readjusted himself on the cushions. “Are you saying that you’ve had feelings for me all this time?”

“ _Yes!_ I married you, didn’t I?”

“I was under the impression that Humans do strange things under the influence of alcohol.”

Julian lifted one knee up on the couch to face his companion. “All alcohol does is lower our inhibitions. Apparently there wasn’t a lot holding me back from professing my love to you.” He looked down at Garak’s ring. “At least, I hope I did. I must have said _something_ impressive to get you to go along with this.” Chancing a smile, he quipped, “It must have been my most persuasive argument yet. I only wish I could remember it.”

Something flitted across Garak’s face, and the corners of his mouth almost seemed to turn up. “How do you know it wasn’t me persuading you?”

Julian scooted forward and boldly set his hand on Garak’s knee. “Oh, I certainly hope you did. But it wouldn’t have been much of a fight. I would hardly need any convincing at all.”

“Julian…” Garak looked at him from the side. “I could get used to saying that.”

“I love hearing it. Could I call you Elim?”

This time the Cardassian did turn to him. “But of course. I afforded you that privilege when I let you bear witness to Tain’s death.”

“Elim?”

“Yes, Julian?”

“May I kiss you?”

Garak’s eyes widened in surprise. “You want to?”

Julian laughed and squeezed his knee. “I just told you that I’ve loved you for years and that I’m happy to be married to you. Why _wouldn’t_ I want to?”

“Well, to be honest, I’m not used to anyone else wanting the same thing I want.”

“Oh, Elim.” Warmth and tenderness washed through Julian. He reached over and took Garak’s hands, tugging until the tailor faced him. “I think I like it when you’re honest. So tell me one more thing. Do you want to be my husband?”

Garak’s eyes widened. “I may go back to Cardassia some day.”

“I’ll go with you. Maybe it’ll be different then, and I can be an ambassador or something. Or join some sort of medical exchange program.”

“Julian, this isn’t something to take lightly.”

“It’s not! I’ve thought about it, believe me.” Even when he was with Ezri.

Garak looked at the door. “Do you think they’ll be happy?” he asked quietly. “Dax and the Major?”

Julian thought about it. “I don’t know. Possibly. But I think it’s up to them to write their own story. I’m more concerned about _ours_.”

Garak stared at their clasped hands. “You always did have a soft spot for sappy romances.”

Giddy, Julian squeezed. “So you think that’s what we’re going to have? A sappy romance? I gotta be honest, Elim. I’m not ashamed to like that genre _at all_.”

“I suppose I could see a few merits.”

“I’d be happy to show you a few more. Those tired tropes are so popular because they feel so good. We’ve already had lunch together, and exchanged chocolates. I could bring you flowers. You could make me a suit. We could do dinner. And breakfast. And-” he ducked his head. “And the night between the dinner and breakfast.” 

Garak smiled slyly. “My dear, just what type of novel are you writing?”

“The kind with a little bit of everything. Romance, mystery, adventure, politics, war… and sex. I’m hoping you’ll be a co-author.”

“I’ve never written anything before,” Garak mused.

“All I’ve ever put together are medical articles. There’s a first time for everything.”

The Cardassian hummed. “It’s a pity that we’ve probably already had our first kiss and neither of us can remember it.”

“That’s the beauty about being a writer. You can just pretend it never happened, and rewrite it the way you _wanted_ it to happen.”

To Julian’s surprise, Garak frowned. “Well, in that case, we should get going, my dear.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I do not want our first kiss to be on Vic Fontaine’s couch. I have some rather inspired ideas as to what setting would be preferable.” He released one of Julian’s hands and stood up, then tugged the doctor up as well. “Shall we discuss them over breakfast? My quarters, or yours?”

Julian nudged his shoulder. “What about the replimat? We’ve always had terrific discussions there. And wouldn’t it be fantastic to see everyone’s faces when someone notices the rings?”

“You’d want to go public so quickly?”

“I don’t see why not. Although, considering how rumpled we both look, it’s even more likely to cause a small scandal.”

Garak’s eyes lit up. “It would make for quite the scene, wouldn’t it?”

“Especially if your hair was all tousled, and if I was covered in bite marks.”

“Bite marks? Most devious, my dear. How serious are you about showing up in that condition?”

Julian pounced.

Their first kiss ended up being on Vic Fontaine’s couch after all.


End file.
